A mum who has been dubbed “Mrs Christmas” has revealed how she’s helped other families save over £60,000 this season.
Clair Brading, 38, is a self-proclaimed “savvy saver” who begins preparing for the festive holiday almost a year in advance as she’s “obsessed” with Christmas.
The mum-of-four, from Southampton, switches on her magical light displays and puts up the tree as soon as Halloween ends – with people dubbing her “Mrs Christmas”.
Now, the budgeting expert has revealed how she’s helped other families save over £60,000 this season with her top tips and tricks.
“Christmas is the most important time of the year for me and my family,” Clair told NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“I like to get at least six weeks out of Christmas.
“We absolutely love it and plan for our festive celebrations all year long.
“That’s why I love getting ahead with saving nice and early so that I know everything is taken care of financially and we can enjoy ourselves during the most magical time of the year.”
The mum is also tasked with celebrating her son’s birthday on 22 December, followed by her brother’s on the main day, along with her husband’s on Boxing Day and her dad’s on New Year’s Day.
While it’s a busy, and costly, time for everyone, Clair tried to find a way to ensure she was still able to afford her favourite season and make each person’s birthday special.
She then came across Park Christmas Savings and has now become an agent for their savings club to encourage other families to set realistic targets in a bid to keep things as stress-free as possible.
The mum said: “Being able to help other families save the way we do with Park is a bonus, I love it.
“Although, I can’t quite believe that we’ve managed to save over £60,000 together.”
Clair, who pops on Die Hard and Elvis Presley’s rendition of Lonely This Christmas while tucking into her turkey, says her favourite thing about the holiday is spending it with her children.
But it’s not always been smooth sailing and the mum recalls how she once struggled to afford the festive season.
She added: “I had my first son when I was 25, and that year I really struggled because I didn’t save.
“I got in debt and spent all year paying it off.
“I signed up to Park Christmas Savings to help me plan for the festive season and I haven’t stopped since – it’s been 12 years.
“Without Park, some of my friends would get loans, get into debt, and ultimately struggle.
“I know that by doing my bit and helping others save as well as myself, we’re working together to create a fun and festive stress-free Christmas.”
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